Can titles of books, characters, or other written works be trademarked?
Generally, no. Traditionally, copyright protection, instead of trademarks, applies to books and other literary works. Copyright safeguards the creative, written content, while trademarks primarily identify the source of goods or services. As a result, trademark registration generally doesn’t apply to individual books or stories. However, a series of books, such as the Hardy Boys, may be eligible for trademark protection to indicate that individual books are part of that series. Characters associated with books can also be trademarked if they are used in connection with merchandise or services related to the books, such as shows or appearances.